Knob-billed Duck
Sarkidiornis melanotos
The knob-billed duck or African comb duck is a type of duck found along the tropical/sub-tropical wetlands and waterways of Sub-Saharan Africa and the island of Madagascar, as well as most of South Asia and mainland Indochina.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knob-billed_duck
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Anseriformes
Family
Anatidae
Genus
Sarkidiornis
Knob-billed Duck belongs to the family Anatidae, order Anseriformes, within the Aves class.
Species Profile
The knob-billed duck or African comb duck is a type of duck found along the tropical/sub-tropical wetlands and waterways of Sub-Saharan Africa and the island of Madagascar, as well as most of South Asia and mainland Indochina.
The Knob-billed Duck faces severe population declines primarily due to widespread habitat loss from agricultural expansion and wetland drainage across its range. Hunting pressure and human disturbance at breeding and roosting sites further compound these threats, while climate change increasingly affects water availability in critical wetland habitats.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
It breeds in still freshwater swamps and lakes in the tropics. It is largely resident, apart from dispersion in the wet season. This duck feeds on vegetation by grazing or dabbling and to a lesser extent on small fish, invertebrates, and seeds. It can become a problem to rice farmers. Knob-billed ducks often perch in trees. They are typically seen in flocks, small in the wet season, up to 100 in...
Threats
IUCN Red List: Endangered
The Knob-billed Duck faces severe population declines primarily due to widespread habitat loss from agricultural expansion and wetland drainage across its range. Hunting pressure and human disturbance at breeding and roosting sites further compound these threats, while climate change increasingly affects water availability in critical wetland habitats.
Agricultural expansion and land conversion
Hunting and persecution
Wetland habitat loss and degradation
Climate change affecting water availability
Human disturbance at breeding sites
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (EN).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| NP | ENEndangered | ENEndangered | Same |
National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Knob-billed Duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/knob-billed-duck